Canadians turning to “vitamin cocktails” to boost energy, health

John Dempster is a naturopathic doctor based in Toronto. Dempster says intravenous vitamin therapy – a mixture of vitamins and minerals administered intravenously – is fast becoming one of his most requested remedies to treat such conditions as fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression and chronic diseases such as cancer.Photo by
Sarah Dea

When Elaine Kunda felt a cold coming on early in the winter, she decided to be proactive about her health and get a vitamin intravenous.

The 36-year old CEO of communications firm b5 media says she was busy, stressed out and not sleeping or eating properly.

She heard about these so-called “vitamin cocktails” through friends who had similar get-up-and-go lifestyles.

“I felt better almost immediately,” Kunda says about the first infusion she received from her naturopath, a doctor who uses natural substances to treat and prevent illness.

Constantly on the move between Toronto and New York on business, Kunda says she can’t afford to be sick.

“Energy is critical for my success, to be functioning and aware and not to be exhausted,” she says.

Although vitamin infusions have been around for decades – they are popular with many professional athletes — they’re gaining mainstream interest from patients looking for preventive treatments and natural ways to deal with chronic conditions, according to John Dempster, a naturopathic doctor based in Toronto.

Dempster says intravenous vitamin therapy – a mixture of vitamins and minerals administered intravenously – is fast becoming one of his most requested remedies to treat such conditions as fatigue, fibromyalgia and depression and chronic diseases such as cancer.

According to a recent report by Statistics Canada, more Canadians are consulting with alternative practitioners. The report indicates about 20 per cent of the nation’s population aged 12 or older have used some form of alternative health care in the span of a year. Alternative practitioners were defined in the report as chiropractors, massage therapists, acupuncturists, homeopaths and naturopaths.

Dempster is not surprised at the increased interest in complementary approaches to health care.

“Everything I prescribe is natural,” Dempster says. “I want to establish the root cause of an illness and treat the individual.”

Before administering any treatment, Dempster says he has an initial consultation with the patient about their health goals and medical background.

Dempster says although there are standard cocktail recipes for certain conditions, each intravenous he administers is a customized mix for the individual he’s treating.

The Myers Cocktail is the most popular of Dempster’s vitamin infusions and runs between $100 — $145 per session. A mix of B vitamins, vitamin C, magnesium and calcium, Myers is used to ward off viruses and treat patients for such conditions as burnout, depression, acute asthma and fibromyalgia.

Dempster says some of his patients call the IVs their “rocket fuel.”

He says results are felt more quickly because the infusion bypasses the intestinal system, and increases the body’s absorption of the vitamins.

“You get far more effectiveness than you would with a pill,” he says.

Another vitamin intravenous gaining popularity is one that includes high doses of vitamin C to treat and prevent cancer, says Dempster.

“This is a very safe alternative to chemo,” says Dempster. “And it’s something you can do with chemo.”

Dr. Brian Davies, a naturopathic doctor in Vancouver, says he gives cancer patients around 25 grams of vitamin C through an intravenous in one sitting, usually three times a week for a period of roughly three months, and will then re-evaluate how the treatment is going.

“I’ve seen (cancer) patients have better appetites, increased energy, have sleep improvement and a reduction in pain,” Davies says.

He says in a week he’ll administer about 60 or more vitamin infusions to patients to treat a variety of ailments.

Many in Canada’s medical community question the merits of such treatments.

“Most decisions we as medical doctors try to make are based on some scientific evidence. I’m not aware of any randomly assigned double-blind control trials that show IV vitamins are helpful,” says Dr. Mel Borins, a family physician based in Toronto.

Dr. Charles Blanke, head of medical oncology at the BC Cancer Agency, says: “No I would not suggest it,” when asked about the use of vitamin C infusions to treat cancer. “I would if I saw scientific evidence.”

Blanke says although he strongly advocates a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in meats and fats to help prevent cancer, once a person has an active malignancy, there is little if any evidence that vitamins will fight cancer directly.

But while many MDs are quick to point out the lack of scientific support for many alternative therapies, it doesn’t mean they are being dismissed.

Borins, who is also an associate professor in family and community medicine at the University of Toronto, acknowledges the rise in patients using alternative treatments and says that’s reason enough for medical doctors to be educated about them.

“More patients are seeking alternative approaches to their health care. Many are not telling their physicians,” Borins says. “It would be helpful for medical doctors to be educated on these approaches — especially those supported by scientific evidence — so they can speak intelligently with patients about alternative therapies and incorporate (treatments) like acupuncture, herbal medicine and nutritional counselling into their practices.”

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Thinking of upping your vitamin intake? Here are some safety precautions to consider:

- Overdosing

It is definitely possible to overdose on vitamins, says Dr. Mel Borins, a family physician in Toronto.

“Everything we take has potential benefits and potential dangers,” Borins says.

But taking high doses of certain vitamins can be hazardous to the body.

Dr. Charles Blanke, head of medical oncology at the BC Cancer Agency, especially warns against taking high doses of fat-soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.

“Fat soluble vitamins can be dangerous,” Blanke says. “Taken in high doses they can lead to problems such as liver damage.”

But when it comes to high doses of water soluble vitamins such as vitamin C, Blanke says the body will urinate it out.

- Consult your physician

It’s important to consult with your physician about any extra vitamins, minerals and supplements you’re taking, especially if you have underlying medical conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or pregnancy.

Vitamins and supplements may interact with prescriptions and over-the-counter medications, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration website, and may have side effects if you are undergoing surgery.

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